Storm window

ABSTRACT

A storm window comprising a rigid self supporting transparent sheet having a second flexible transparent sheet overlying and peripherally attached thereto to provide an inflatable dead air space for preventing heat loss through a window opening.

United States Patent 11 1 [111 3,911,630 Nally [4 1 Oct. 14, 1975 [541STORM WINDOW 3,167,348 l/l965 Hufenus 52 171 [76] Inventor: Phillip L.Nally, 302 W. Muir Ave., FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Bardstown 40004828,126 2/1938 France 52/203 22] Filed: July 2 1974 1,031,807 6/1966United Kingdomm.

908,353 10/1962 United Kingdom 52/203 [21] Appl. No.: 492,032

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh [52] US. Cl. 52/2; 52/202; 52/404 [51]Int. Cl. E06B 3/28 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 52/171, 203, 202,304,

52/404, 406, 296/84 C 95 R, 95 C; 49/62 A storm window comprlsmg a r1g1dself supporting transparent sheet having a second flexible transparent[56] References Cited sheet overlying and peripherally attached theretoto UNITED STATES PATENTS provide an inflatable dead air space forpreventing heat loss through a window opening. 2,524,105 10/1950 Hacker49/62 2,896,272 7/1959 Latenser 52/2 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures STORMwmnow BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been the goal of homeeconomists and industrial designers to devise a simple, inexpensive,straightforward storm window which would be easy to install, efficientand attractive. It has further been an objective to such designers toprovide a dependable storm window which could be used either interiorlyof the normal window or exteriorly thereof. Prior art attempts such asthose shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,935,769 and 2,896,272 were not acceptablesince in the first instance the devised panes must be used inconjunction with the glass already in the window and thus they do notprovide a positively sealed dead air space which is inflatable. Also,they are not usable alternatively on either the inside or the outside ofthe window because they depend upon the glass holding structure itselffor their support. Also, the storm window must be employed in sections,one for each window pane and thus are time consuming to install. In someinstances, two flexible sheets were suggested but these too areunsatisfactory since they do not have a definite shape. Thus, wheninflated, they tend to bulge in the center to the extent that they arevirtually impossible to maintain adjacent a window in an opening.

Similarly, the storm window shown in US. Pat. No. 2,080,394 is plaguedwith weaknesses among which are: firstly, the single sheet attached overthe window is not a positively sealed air space and, secondly, thearrangement is unsightly since it involves nailing a frame of boards tothe window frame. Further, the employment of boards and nails is notsuitable for use on the exterior of a window frame which has beendecorated.

Similarly, US. Pat. No. 2,825,941 fails to provide a suitablearrangement for heat insulating a window opening.

The invention of this application overcomes the above prior artdeficiencies and provides an inexpensive, readily constructed, easilyemployed storm window which is effective in heat insulating a windowopening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the instant invention, there are severalfeatures which deserve special mention because of the uniqueness oftheir combined contribution to the overall effectiveness of the stormwindow. Firstly, it should be noted that the storm window is designed tobe a cubic rectangle when inflated. This feature gives the advantage ofproviding a dead air space which is uniform in thickness and whichprovides edge surfaces and top and bottom surfaces which are aboutequivalent in depth to the thickness of the dead air space. These sidesand top and bottom surfaces abut against the window sill in which thestorm window is inserted to give a maximum of sealing surface. Asexplained earlier, the cubic rectangular shape of the dead air spacealso permits the storm window to be fully inflated in situ withoutbulging to the extent that the bladder portion abuts the window glassand forces the storm window out of the window opening. This arrangementfurther allows a positive seal to be effected since inflation in situallows the above sides and top' and bottom to fit the contour of thewindow frame. Of course, the window upon being fully inflated is held inplace by the air pressure within the dead air space acting upon thesides and top and bottom to force them into tight gripping relationshipwith the window frame.

The feature of having a storm window which is made up of a solid selfsupporting sheet and a bladder sheet provides the advantage that it maybe inserted easily even if the whole window opening is not easily withinreach of the installer. Thus, he may support the storm window in itsposition in the window opening by one corner of the self supportingsheet and upon inflation it will be secured in place without theinstaller ever having had access to the upper portion of the windowopening.

Also, the self supporting sheet which would be most remote from thewindow glass present in the window opening is tough and weatherresistant to the extent necessary to protect the glass and storm windowbladder from the elements.

Also, the storm window of this invention can be used to protect thewindows of a home from flying objects during storms or from vandalism.

More specifically, the invention includes: A storm window comprising: arigid self supporting transparent sheet of material sized to bepositioned over a window opening and a transparent flexible bladderportion attached to and cooperable with said transparent sheet to forman inflatable dead air space for providing a seethrough heat insulatoracross said window opening. Advantageously, the bladder portion ispreshaped to form a cubic rectangle when inflated and has sides and atop and bottom which include gripping means integral therewith. Also,the bladder is advantageously hermetically parimetrically sealed to therigid transparent sheet to define the inflatable dead air space.Preferably, the self supporting sheet and the bladder are made of thesame material with the former sheet being about 10 to about times thethickness of the latter sheet.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stormwindow of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG.1 showing how the storm window coacts in relation to a window frame.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative means of securing the storm window of theinvention over a window opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows storm window 10comprised of a rigid self supporting transparent sheet 12 and a bladder14. Transparent sheet 10 is secured to a flexible transparent bladder 14by a parimetric heat seal 16. Bladder 14 is made up of sides 18, top 20and bottom 22 integral with back 24. Transparent sheet 10 cooperateswith bladder 14 to define a dead air space 28 as best seen I in FIG. 2.Sides 18, top 20 and bottom 22 all include gripping surfaces such asstriations 26.

Hence, it can be seen that upon inflation of dead air space 28, sides18, top 20 and bottom 22 will tend to bow outwardly and grip the insidesurface of the window sash 30 into which it has been inserted (see FIG.2). Preferably, bladder 14 includes seams 32 which perform a shapingfunction when the dead air space is inflated. If it is desired, thestorm window 10 may be held in position over a window opening byutilizing fasteners 34 to supplement the fastening function ofstriations 26 of sides 18, top 20 and bottom 22.

In use, the storm window of this invention is placed over a windowopening, the bladder 14 being sized to fit within the sash of the windowand the transparent sheet 12 being sized to cover the window opening.The bladder is then inflated with air to create a dead air spacetherein. lnflation of the bladder causes the top, bottom and sidesthereof to expand and abut against the inside surface of the windowopening thereby securing it in position in covering relationshipthereto.

In the alternative, it is possible to position the storm window on theinside of the window opening in substantially the same way as describedabove for positioning the storm window on the outside, if the outside isinaccessible.

It should be noted that although the storm window of this invention hasbeen described in terms of a self supporting sheet and a bladder beingparimetrically sealed together it is possible to include an air tightframe member therebetween.

The transparent materials suitable for use in fabricating thetransparent sheet and bladder include various polymeric resinousmaterials such as polyethylene, polystyrene, polypropylene,acrylonitrile, butadine styrene, polyvinylchloride and combinations ofone or more of these.

It should further be noted that it may be desirable to select the samematerial for both the self supporting transparent sheet and the bladder.In this regard, it then appears that the self supporting transparentsheet must be thicker than the transparent sheet comprising the bladderportion. Preferably, the self supporting sheet is in the range of aboutto about 100 times as thick as the sheet defining the bladder. Ofcourse, the sheet defining the bladder portion may vary in thickness asrequired for a suitable top, bottom, side or back portion. However, mostfrequently the sheet defining the bladder will be of uniform thicknessthroughout. [n the alternative, it may be desirable to fabricate theself supporting sheet of glass and hermetically seal the transparentpolymeric bladder thereto. In such an instance, the bladder and theglass may be of more nearly the same thickness. Various means can beemployed to inflate the dead air space 28. One expedient method is toprovide a valve means such as that shown at 36 in the drawing.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed l. A storm windowcomprising: a rigid self supporting transparent sheet held in positionover a window opening and a transparent flexible bladder portion havingsides, edges and a back portion to define with said transparent sheet acubic rectangularly shaped inflatable dead air space, said edges andsaid sides including gripping means integral therewith to enhance theattachment of said storm window over said window opening the combinationthereby providing a see-through heat insulator across the windowopening.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a parimetric hermetic seal betweensaid sheet means and said bladder portion to seal said dead air space.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet is in therange of about 10 to about times the thickness of said bladder portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said edges and said sides are of auniform thickness and are comprised of a single sheet of polymericresinous material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet is glass andsaid bladder is comprised of a single sheet of polymeric resinousmaterial.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet and saidtransparent bladder portion are made of the same material;

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the sheet and bladder respectivelyare comprised of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene,acrylonitrile, butadine styrene, polyvinylchloride or copolymersthereof.

1. A storm window comprising: a rigid self supporting transparent sheetheld in position over a window opening and a transparent flexiblebladder portion having sides, edges and a back portion to define withsaid transparent sheet a cubic rectangularly shaped inflatable dead airspace, said edges and said sides including gripping means integraltherewith to enhance the attachment of said storm window over saidwindow opening the combination thereby providing a see-through heatinsulator across the window opening.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1including a parimetric hermetic seal between said sheet means and saidbladder portion to seal said dead air space.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said transparent sheet is in the range of about 10 to about 100times the thickness of said bladder portion.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1wherein said edges and said sides are of a uniform thickness and arecomprised of a single sheet of polymeric resinous material.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet is glass and saidbladder is comprised of a single sheet of polymeric resinous material.6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transparent sheet and saidtransparent bladder portion are made of the same material.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6 wherein the sheet and bladder respectively arecomprised of polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile,butadine styrene, polyvinylchloride or copolymers thereof.